title: Measurement of access flow during hemodialysis using the constant infusion approach.
abstract: With reversed placement of blood lines and with a peripheral arteriovenous access, hemodialysis recirculation (R) consists of a local access component, and a central cardiopulmonary component that must be separated for the calculation of access flow (Qac) using indicator dilution principles. With indicator injections that follow constant infusion principles Qac = (1 - Rx)/(Rx(1 - CPR)) x (Qb,x - UFR), where Qb is the extracorporeal blood flow, where UFR is the ultrafiltration rate, and where the index x indicates reversed placement of blood lines. CPR, the amount of cardiopulmonary recirculation (CPR = Qac/CO) is determined from two recirculation measurements with correct (index n) and with reversed (index x) placement of blood lines CPR = Rn(1 - Rx)/Rx(1 - Rn) x (Qb,x - UFR)/Qb,n. Qac was measured in 11 hemodialysis (HD) patients using a thermodilution device tested in an in vitro set-up based on constant infusion principles. Mean Qac was 1.135 L/min and 1.054 L/min for measurements done early and late in dialysis. The coefficient of variation was +/-7.3% and +/-8.6%, respectively. Repeated measurements of access flow in HD patients showed good reproducibility (Qac.1 = 1.01*Qac.0, r2 = 0.98), with the regression line not different from the line of identity; however, in vivo results remain to be validated by an independent technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schneditz
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Levin
mesh_terms: D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results